What is the best free alternative to Overleaf (Hosted)?

We have 2 open source alternatives to Overleaf (Hosted) that you can self-host for free.

Can I self-host an alternative to Overleaf (Hosted)?

Yes! All 2 alternatives listed here can be self-hosted on your own servers, giving you full control over your data and privacy.

Are these Overleaf (Hosted) alternatives really free?

Yes, all alternatives are open source and free to use. Some may offer paid hosting or premium features, but the core software is always free.

Best Self Hosted Alternatives to Overleaf (Hosted)

A curated collection of the 2 best self hosted alternatives to Overleaf (Hosted).

Overleaf is a cloud-based LaTeX editor for real-time collaborative writing, compilation, version control, templates, and journal/publisher integrations—designed to create, edit, and publish scientific and technical documents.

Overleaf

Self-hosted Overleaf Community Edition for collaborative LaTeX editing, real-time PDF preview, version history, and project sharing for teams and classrooms.

Overleaf is a web-based collaborative LaTeX editor (Community Edition) for writing, compiling, and managing TeX documents in the browser. It provides a shared workspace where multiple authors can edit the same project, track changes, and produce PDFs via an integrated compile pipeline.

Key Features

Real-time collaborative LaTeX editing with synchronized cursors and change updates
One-click LaTeX compilation with in-browser PDF preview
Project-based workspace for files, folders, and assets (figures, bibliographies)
Version history (project history) and restore points for tracking edits over time
Git integration support (via Git bridge in Overleaf tooling/ecosystem) for syncing projects with repositories
User/project sharing and access controls suitable for teams, labs, and classes
Template-based project creation (common paper formats and journal/conference styles)

Use Cases

Collaborative academic writing (papers, theses) with co-authors editing concurrently
Teaching LaTeX in classrooms with shared assignments and templates
Producing technical documentation with citations, figures, and reproducible builds

Limitations and Considerations

Full feature parity with Overleaf’s hosted offering depends on edition/configuration; some enterprise/hosted-only capabilities may not be included in Community Edition.

Overleaf Community Edition is well-suited for organizations that want a browser-first LaTeX workflow with collaboration, preview, and history in a single interface. It is commonly used in research groups and education environments to standardize templates and simplify collaboration.

17.1kstars

1.8kforks

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HedgeDoc

Self-hosted, real-time collaborative Markdown editor for teams, with note sharing, history, and flexible publishing via links and permissions.

HedgeDoc is a web-based, collaborative Markdown note editor designed for teams to write together in real time. It focuses on fast note creation, easy sharing, and flexible publishing, while still supporting structured organization and access control.

Key Features:

Real-time collaborative editing for Markdown documents
Markdown preview and formatting helpers, including syntax highlighting for code blocks
Multiple sharing and publishing modes (private notes, shared links, published notes)
Note history/revisions to track and restore changes
User accounts and team collaboration features (permissions depend on configuration)
External authentication support via common identity providers (e.g., LDAP/OAuth/OIDC depending on setup)
Export/share notes in common formats (e.g., Markdown) and embed-friendly published views

Use Cases:

Collaborative meeting notes, sprint notes, and incident write-ups
Lightweight internal documentation and how-to pages for teams
Publishing announcements or public notes with shareable URLs

Limitations and Considerations:

Advanced wiki-style information architecture (hierarchical pages, strong interlinking, graph views) is not the primary focus compared to dedicated wiki platforms.

HedgeDoc is well-suited when you want a simple, fast, multi-user Markdown editor with real-time collaboration and straightforward ways to share or publish notes. It fits teams that value “write together now” workflows over heavyweight document management.

6.8kstars

516forks